1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to agricultural harvesters such as combines, and, more particularly, to shaker mechanisms incorporated in the harvester crop processing section.
2. Description of the Related Art
An agricultural harvester known as a “combine” is historically termed such because it combines multiple harvesting functions with a single harvesting unit, such as picking, threshing, separating and cleaning. A combine includes a header which removes the crop from a field, and a feeder housing which transports the crop matter into a threshing rotor. The threshing rotor rotates within a perforated housing, which may be in the form of adjustable concaves, and performs a threshing operation on the crop to remove the grain. Once the grain is threshed it falls through perforations in the concaves and is transported to a grain pan. From the grain pan the grain is cleaned using a cleaning system, and is then transported to a grain tank onboard the combine. The cleaning system includes a cleaning fan which blows air through oscillating grain handlings to discharge chaff and other debris toward the rear of the combine. Non-grain crop material such as straw from the threshing section proceeds through a straw chopper and out the rear of the combine. When the grain tank becomes full, the combine is positioned adjacent a vehicle into which the grain is to be unloaded, such as a semi-trailer, gravity box, straight truck, or the like; and an unloading system on the combine is actuated to transfer the grain into the vehicle.
More particularly, a rotary threshing or separating system includes one or more rotors which can extend axially (front to rear) or transversely within the body of the combine, and which are partially or fully surrounded by a perforated concave. The crop material is threshed and separated by the rotation of the rotor within the concave. Coarser non-grain crop material such as stalks and leaves are transported to the rear of the combine and discharged back to the field. The separated grain, together with some finer non-grain crop material such as chaff, dust, straw, and other crop residue are discharged through the concaves and fall onto the grain pan where they are transported to the cleaning system. Alternatively, the grain and finer non-grain crop material may also fall directly onto the cleaning system itself
The cleaning system further separates the grain from non-grain crop material, and typically includes a fan directing an air flow stream upwardly and rearwardly through vertically arranged grain handlings which oscillate in a fore and aft manner. The air flow stream lifts and carries the lighter non-grain crop material towards the rear end of the combine for discharge to the field. Clean grain, being heavier, and larger pieces of non-grain crop material, which are not carried away by the air flow stream, fall onto a surface of an upper sieve (also known as a chaffer sieve or sieve assembly) where some or all of the clean grain passes through to a lower sieve (also known as a cleaning sieve). Grain and non-grain crop material remaining on the upper and lower sieves are physically separated by the reciprocating action of the sieves as the material moves rearwardly. Any grain and/or non-grain crop material remaining on the top surface of the upper sieve or sieve assembly is discharged at the rear of the combine. Grain falling through the lower sieve lands on a bottom pan of the cleaning system, where it is conveyed forwardly toward a clean grain auger.
The clean grain auger is positioned below the lower sieve, and receives clean grain from each sieve and from the bottom pan of the cleaning system. The clean grain auger then augers the clean grain laterally sideways to a clean grain elevator, which in turn conveys the clean grain to a grain tank onboard the combine.
The upper sieve or sieve assembly is driven for fore and aft movement to move the harvested crop material in an aft direction but at the same time separate the remaining grain or crop from the non-crop material. The sieve assembly presents a significant weight having inertia forces that require structurally strong supports to secure the sieve assembly in the agricultural frame but at the same time enable driven fore and aft movement. A further complication arises in that, when the agricultural harvester is on the side of a slope, it requires side to side movement of the sieve assembly so as to prevent clogging of the material and resultant reduction in efficiency. The side to side movement is used generally selectively so that the continuous primary movement is fore and aft but the structural connection must also permit side to side movement of the sieve assembly.
Typically, the side to side movement is generated by an actuator that is connected to a frame member of the agricultural harvester to the side of the sieve assembly. This causes the sieve assembly to achieve a side to side oscillation but introduces complications. The structural forces must be transmitted from the side frame member closest to the actuator to the opposite side frame member and other structural elements of the sieve assembly. As a result, the structural interconnections must be more robust on the side of the sieve assembly closest to the actuator. This adds additional complication in the design of the sieve assembly, owing to the fact that additional reinforcements are necessary for the suspension bushings and other elements making up the sieve assembly.
Another problem is that since there is a substantial air flow along and through the sieve assembly, the asymmetric nature of the structural elements which are underneath the grain contacting surface of the sieve assembly cause a difference in the air flow which in turn may cause problems with distribution of the crop material.
Another problem with the provision of a side shaker arrangement is that the ground support, in the form of tires for an agricultural harvester, have a significant claim on the space alongside the sieve assembly, especially when the agricultural harvester is called to negotiate tight terms. As a result, the actuator and linkage have a conflicting claim on the outside envelope of the sieve assembly.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a side to side oscillation mechanism that minimizes if not eliminates the asymmetry and associated problems in an agricultural harvester.